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i got your number

I can’t even remember when I first pieced this top. Flickr tells me is was July… of last year. I remember coming up with this idea for a class at gather here. The class did not go so well. I really should have tested the pattern first and made templates instead of relying on measurements alone. It was my first attempt at taking an improv project and turning it into a pattern, and there were a lot of numbers to crunch and still gaps to fill. Suffice it to say I learned many valuable lessons about teaching, pattern writing, and quilt making that weekend.

I will admit, though, that despite these lessons learned, I have no desire to turn this specific design into a pattern. I’m still emotionally connected to the design, which is ironic considering that numbers are fact and math has no place for emotion. But the design, the geometry and proportions of each numeral were not exact figures when I came up with it all, and trying to make it all fit into manageable increments that work well on paper still feels beyond me. I think if I were to re-design it so that each numeral block can be paper-pieced that would probably work best. But then that would be a completely different design.

Anyway, I am happy to share the general layout – a blueprint, if you will. It’s nothing fancy, just some basic information and a diagram that spells out how it was pieced. You can download it for free over at my craftsy pattern shop. Then have a ball with it. Make it your own. Improvise. Add or remove design elements. Do your thing. But most of all, have fun with it. And feel free to share your photos of your finished tops with me because I would love to see them.